Before you head off toward a week full of hangovers or Volunteer Vacations, the Arts Department thought they'd provide a suggested list of books to pick up for some relaxing beach reading.
"Weetzie Bat" - Francesca Lia Block
You may have to venture into the young adult section to find this gem, but at a mere 128 pages, this offbeat fable is a must-have for any plane ride. The book follows the misadventures of the feather headdress-wearing Weetzie, a slinkster-cool California girl who gets three wishes from a genie. The tiny tome reads like a magical realist's love letter to L.A; Block's ecstatic prose transforms the city into a gorgeously gritty Technicolor dreamscape that can feel like Shangri-L.A. one minute and Hell-A the next. A surreal fairy tale, the book is about finding love and creating your own family (Weetzie's baby has not one, not two, but three proud fathers) and about imagining a world where love really can conquer all. - eventually. - Jacqueline Houton
"The Rum Diary" - Hunter S. Thompson
The doctor was best known for "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," his political commentaries and his sports writing, but "The Rum Diary" is actually one of his best works. Written while the Gonzo spirit was alive and kicking but before everything went to the dogs in a haze of drug-induced psychosis, "The Rum Diary" is an (ironically) sober account of a carousing journalist in Puerto Rico that is, undoubtedly, partly autobiographical. It's actually poignant and intelligent. - Valerie Chung
"Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant 'Roids, Smash Hits, And How Baseball Got Big" - Jose Canseco
The former baseball star, a six-time All Star selection, turned the baseball world upside down with his account of steroid abuse during his playing days. Canseco names names in the book, including Mark McGwire, Jason Giambi and Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez as steroid takers. As a result of the hysteria created in part by the book, a number of players are being subpoenaed to appear before Congress and testify today. Is there any truth to the allegations in the book? Read it and decide for yourself. - Dave Cavell
"The Pleasure of My Company" - Steve Martin
It's your standard obsessive-compulsive genius hides away from the world and charms us with zany antics and a good heart story, of course, but this surprisingly insightful novella about an ex-computer programmer is refreshingly and irrepressibly funny. Brought to you by the multi-talented actor/comedian/writer Steve Martin, it's light, genuine, and set in sunny California. Better than a beach read, but not a big commitment, read and enjoy the pleasure of its company. - Stephanie Vallejo
"Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto" -Chuck Klosterman
You'll never watch "Saved by the Bell" the same way again. Or, for that matter, listen to Billy Joel, eat breakfast cereal, or play "The Sims." Klosterman is practically the Seinfeld of essayists; he's a culture critic who writes about "nothing." While the rants can get overly-analytical and the essays at the back end of the book drag on, this collection is a thoroughly enjoyable examination of what makes our world tick. Be prepared to chuckle at humanity's own stupidity and at Klosterman's twisted little world. - Brian Wolly
